The Indianapolis Colts, coming off of a week where they lost to NFL basement dweller Tennessee Titans, looked competitive against a (now) 6-0 Minnesota Vikings team. It can be debated how deserved that 6-0 record is for a Vikings team that's been in many dogfights through the first seven weeks of the season, but the Colts played admirably against maybe the best defense in the league.
That being said, it still simply wasn't good enough. The team played with fire and moxie, but when it came down to it, they simply failed to execute in areas when they very much needed to do just that. It's a hope-inspiring effort in some ways, but another last-minute loss is a soul crusher for Colts fans.
The team only let up 16 points, and yet it still wasn't enough against an elite defense coached by arguably the best defensive mind in all of football in Brian Flores. The team was good, but they weren't good enough. Here are the two players who hurt the team most in Week 7.
Indianapolis Colts who simply have to be better
No.1: Daniel Jones
Another week, another pitifully failed game-winning drive. It would be amazing to write a column where Jones was deserving of praise after lifting the team to victory on his shoulders, but it seems readily apparent that it's just not going to happen anytime soon.
Every week, it seems Jones is lambasted after being put into position to lead Indy to victory in a game-winning drive and failing to execute. Unfortunately, every week it is a deserved assignment of blame. Jones couldn't make it past one play on this game-winning attempt before throwing a soul-crushing pick.
He finished the day with 108 passing yards and an interception. He deserves some grace for playing against the hottest defense in football, but at some point he's got to take responsibility.
After the firing of Chris Ballard last week, the man who paid Jones handsomely, it seems crystal clear that the Danny Dimes experiment in Indy will (mercifully) be over soon. He brought the team some good times, but he's not the answer.
No. 2: K Spencer Shrader
Now, Daniel Jones wasn't good enough this week, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a Colts fan who thinks he was, but easily the biggest reason why Indy lost can be found at the kicker position. Spencer Shrader came into the day on a 22-kick-in-a-row streak. He finished the day with two straight field goal misses.
In a game where the Colts lost by two field goals, that is quite literally the difference between losing and not. Shrader had performed like a premier kicker in the league through the first six weeks, but he was downright atrocious today.
Special teams have been the team's biggest Achilles' heel through their ill-fated season thus far, and one has to wonder how many games the team will lose because of it before sweeping change is made in the coaching of the unit.
Everybody has bad performances, but when it comes from the kicker position, it hurts all the more. Shrader's inaccuracy could literally be described as directly costing the Colts the game. He should be given another chance to prove himself, but the kicker should be on very thin ice after such a disastrous performance.
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